afrol News, 11 May - The Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Christian Folly-Kossi, disclosed that safety and security have remained the major threats to the African aviation industry.

With a membership of more than 40, AFRAA, a registered trade union, was formally established in the Ghanaian capital Accra in 1968.

Mr Folly-Kossi told a two-day meeting of African transport ministers and aviation experts in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa that the Kenyan Airways plane crash is enough proof that there is need for the continent to prioritise aviation safety.

The crashed airline whose 114 people on board had all died was among the new fleet bought by the Kenyan Airways. It has been operational for only six months. Aviation experts are still trying to find out the cause of the crash.

But AFRAA Secretary General advised African avian industries to seriously consider upgrading the safety, security, search and rescue capabilities. AFRAA scribe appealed for routine conduction of mock rescue exercises as a way of assessing the aviation industries’ preparedness to respond to disasters.

Brain drain, globalization, poor financial resources, among other challenges continue to rock the aviation industry in Africa, he said.

“Brain drain is seriously depleting our industry of its most experienced and qualified human resources,” he said, blaming airlines from the Gulf and Asia for poaching pilots, cabin crew, management staff and air traffic controllers from Africa. “At this stage, only your vigorous governmental, political and diplomatic interventions that can help stem the haemorrhage.”

By staff writer

© afrol News

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